1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technique for outputting a print job via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, a protocol referred to as IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) is known as a technique for printing by use of any client and any printer connected to the Internet. Since this technique uses a URI (Uniform Resource Indicator) to designate a printer as an output destination, the output destination is limited to printers whose URI are known.
The applicant proposed a technique for printing by use of any client and any printer via the Internet regardless of whether or not the URI is known (e.g. a technique disclosed in JP2001-236183A). This technique uses a print intermediary server connected to the Internet to mediate the print job and thereby prints by use of any client and any printer. The clients may include a variety of Internet-enabled devices, including a cellular phone.
The above-mentioned prior art, however, has two practical problems described bellow. The first problem relates to receiving the printed material. In outputting via the Internet, a plurality of users share the printer. Since some printed material have high confidentiality, it is required in practice to ensure that the printed material is delivered only to the true receiver even under such situation or to improve the security.
The second problem relates to simplicity of output during printing. In outputting via the Internet, as a result of the fact that the output destination can be selected flexibly, the information to be input by the user tends to be increased compared to the case of outputting to the so-called locally connected printer. Furthermore, it tends to request input of complicated password and the like in order to improve the security as described in the first problem, and therefore the output amount tends to be further increased. Such complicated output diminishes the convenience of print system and cannot be overlooked, especially during printing by use of a portable terminal such as cellular phone.
Each of the above problems is not limited to the Internet but is common to printing via a network. The objective of the invention is to avoid printing improperly or mistakenly in printing via a network. Furthermore, another objective is to simplify operations during printing.